Seamless hosiery.



PATENTED AUG. 6, 1907.

J. W. METTLER. SEAMLESS HOSIERY. APPLICATION FILED FEB.16,1906.

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JOHN WYOKOFF METTLER, OF EAST MILLSTONE, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO INTERWOVEN I STOCKING COMPANY, OF NEW BRUNSWICK, NEW JERSEY, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

SEAMLESS HOSIEBY.

Patented Aug. 6, 1907.

Application filedli'ebrualry 16, 1906- Ssrial No. 301.494.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, JOHN WYCKOFF METTLER, a citizen of the United States, residing at East Millstone, in the county of Somersetand State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Seamless Hosiery; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the in vention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My present invention relates to the class of seamless hosiery and has for its object the production of an improved article of the class named.

'It is desirable to have articles of differing weight for winter and summer wear. In making stockings of very light weight for use in the hottest weather, it is found that the machine looping or stitching for joining the parts near the toe is more apparent and is felt by the wearer to a much greater degree than in the thicker makes of stockings. In making such stockings it is common to throw in a thicker thread for the heel and toe and to throw in an additional thread in the back of the ankle and bottom of the foot to give additional durability and strength in these parts of the stocking. In some cases instead of making the heel and toe of a stronger thread an additional or splicing thread is knit through the parts of the stocking to be strengthened including the heel and toe. In all of these cases, there is a disparity between the strength of the loops on one side of the joining at the toe and those on the other side of the same. It is found that when subjected to wear, these weaker loops are liable to give way after little use and this constitutes a weak point in the stocking. I overcome this objection by the construction shown in the drawing In the drawing, Figure 1 is a view of my preferred form of stocking and Fig. 2 is-a view on'a reduced scale of a modified construction.

In the drawing Ais the leg and B the foot of the stocking and a is the heel and b the toe. In this case the shaded portion indicates the parts in which a splicing or strengthening-thread is introduced. Such thread being inserted in the back of the ankle beginning at a and continued through the heel, bottom of the foot to the point 0 at which point, it is knitted with the main thread entirely around the tubular web until the point of joining b is reached. The additional thread is then knit into the toe and the opposite courses of loops for the joining made of equal strength and weight.

The operation just described'is that followed where the main thread or the thread used in the leg is also separate threads, such thread or threads may be knit either entirely around the web from c to b or may be knit only upon the top of the foot of the stocking between the same points. In case the said thread or threads are used solely upon the top of the stocking the bottom of the footand top between 0 and b may be knit in the manner set forth in the patent to E. E. Kilbourn No. 669,530, March 12, 1901, the bottom and top threads being inter-knit for two or more needles, at each side of the foot of the stocking. It will also be seen that when a thicker or heavier thread is used for the heel and toe, the stocking may be reinforced at the ankle beginning at a and continuing to the heel; the

thread may be thrown in only across the top of the stocking for the same space, or the heavier thread may be knit only across the top of the foot of the stocking as already stated in the manner described in the patent referred to. I may also knit the stocking with the heavier thread for the heel and toe without any reinforcing thread until the point 0 is reached and then the web be reinforced from c to b by an additional thread all round the web, or only across-the top of the foot of the stocking, or the reinforcing may be made to extend more than half way around the foot to about the point indicated in the drawing by the star x.

As the central portion of the bottom of the foot is not subjected to great wear, there is a saving in material to make this part of the stocking of the same weight as the leg of the stocking, but have the bottom of the foot reinforced at theheel and for a space adjacent to the toe, as shown at b Fig. 2, so as to provide additional durability at the heel and beneath the ball of the foot of the wearer.

In some cases I may prefer to cause the additional or splicing thread to be knitted around the entire tubular web for a' greater distance than from c to 1) beginning at the point e or at any preferred point between 0 and 0, thus forming a double footedstocking. The stocking might also be constructed by employing forthe stocking from the'heel or the point a the same thread or threads that are used in knitting the heel.

While I have described the stocking as having the joining on the top of the foot of the same, and while this is the usual way in which seamless stockings are made, it is obvious that the principle of my invention would apply with equal force and advantage to stockings in which the joining was on the under side of the foot.

e What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent 1. A'seamless stocking having a toe of greater weight than the main body of the stocking, the said stocking also having the top of the foot of the same adjacent to the joining at the .toe reinforced, substantially as described.

2. A light weight seamless stocking having a toe portion of greater weight and also having the foot of the stocking adjacent to the point of joining at the toe made of substantially the same weight as the toe of the stocking, sub stantially as described.

3. A light weight seamless stocking having a toe of greater weight than the main body of the stocking and also having the back of the ankle, bottom of the foot and top of the foot adjacent to the joining at the toe rein- 2O forced, substantially as described.

4. A light weight seamless stocking having a toe of greater weight than the main body of the stocking and also having the portion of the bottom of the foot adjacent increased weight extending a greater distance around the foot than the joining seam, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature. in the presence of two witnesses.

JOHN WYCKOFF METTLER. Witnesses IRVING HOAGLAND, .T. H. WHITAKER. 

